Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ulf-Peter Gran
Kokkola 2013
Table of Contents
Page Introduction Alternative liquid fuel: Gas from biomass can partly replace and supplement fossil gas The difference between fossil gas and gas from biomass Fossil gas Gas from biomass The difference between gasification and fermentation Gasification Anaerobic fermentation Renewable energy green energy Solid and gaseous biofuels Solid, liquid and gaseous fuels Liquid biofuels are advanced products Processing biomass by heat Green Chemistry Bio-refinery From wood gas to liquid fuel Smaller units for refining Local heating and CHP Local heating produced by biomass Reduced dust emissions in flue gas Combined heat and power units (CHP) Integrated energy units Combining of biogas and wood gas 6 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 11 11 12 12 13 13 13 13 15 15 16 16 5 6
Page Green Feed-in tariffs for CHP Solar panels can be combined with a heating unit Integration with Geothermal energy Many opportunities for integration Gasification of biomass to fuel Gaseous or liquid fuels Gaseous fuel Liquid fuel Special fuel products Various catalytic routes Fermentation of biosyngas for biofuel feedstocks Local small processing units References 17 17 18 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 22
Introduction
Forests contain a large amount of unused wood in the form of forest biomass. This wood biomass can be effectively used in local bioenergy processes as energy and raw materials. In the near future, new small-scale solutions will play a significant role in bioenergy processing. Harvesting, handling and further local processing, along with the use of local energy resources for local and regional consumers, all contribute to sustainable development.
Figure 1. The natural cycle of biomass and biomass energy production and their contribution to sustainable development.
Processing of biomass for various types of fuel materials, e.g. into solid or liquid form or finished products as electricity and heat. Coordination and management via energy terminals can provide synergistic benefits in an integrated production that utilizes local resources. Through an appropriate combination and correct applications we can achieve a higher utilization in the processing. This means less waste and less unused side products help reduce the environmental impact.
Alternative liquid fuel: Gas from biomass can partly replace and supplement fossil gas
Biosyngas is a synthetic gas derived from biomass gasification or a biogas derived from a true fermentation process. In the near future, after a purifying process these biogases may replace and supplement fossil gases such as natural gas (NG). With the right chemical process the synthetic gas can be converted to SNG (synthetic natural gas or bio-SNG). The wood gas or socalled product gas obtained through gasification of biomass is purified, cooled and filtered. This biosyngas is an important raw material in fuel feedstock for future biofuels.
Figure 2 presents a simplified overview of various types of gases that can be used as fuel or fuel feedstock for further processing. The diagrams show the differences between the various types of gases.
Fossil gas
Besides natural gas, synthetic natural gas (SNG) can be produced from coal and oil. For the gasification of coal, the crushed coal is often suspended, prepared and injected into a so-called entrained flow gasifier.
Figure 3. The two main routes for gas from biomass gasification and anaerobic fermentation.
The production of gas from biomass can be made according to two main principles: gasification
8 and anaerobic fermentation. The general guideline is that woody biomass is mainly used for gasification.
Gasification
Gasification is the thermo-chemical conversion of biomass by heating it with a limited oxygen supply. The biomass is heated to a temperature at which it is converted into gaseous form. Gasification is usually divided into three ranges: low, medium, and high. Low-temperature gasification, 800-1000C Medium-temperature gasification, 1000-1200C High-temperature gasification, 1200-1400C In English-language literature on the subject, the gas that is produced is typically called product gas when the gasification is below 1000C. The gas from the reactors with temperatures above 1200C is called biosyngas, because the gas at these higher temperatures consists almost entirely of H2 (hydrogen) and CO (carbon monoxide), apart from CO2 (carbon dioxide) and H2O (water).
Anaerobic Fermentation
By allowing bacteria to digest biomass in an oxygen-free environment, biogas is produced (figure 4). The type of bacteria used depends on the temperature level in the reactor. Bacteria are sensitive to temperature variations and can only operate well within a limited range. Typically, a normal mesophilic environment and a higher thermophilic bacterial environment of the reactor can be separated.
Temperature ranges in the biogas reactor: Psycophilic, 15C-30C (not used) Mesophilic, 35C-40C Thermophilic, 55C-65C Along with the production of biogas, sanitation (e.g., 70C for one hour) must be used. Sanitation sterilizes the raw material and prevents the spread of infection, especially if the raw material (manure and biomass) comes from several farms.
Figure 4. Overview of options for using and processing the gas from biomass: 1) Conversion of heat as gasification. 2) Biochemical conversion using anaerobic fermentation.
Solid, liquid and gaseous fuels Solid biofuels from the forest consist mainly of firewood, wood chips, wood pellets, crushed slash (i.e., forest residues,) and stumps Production methods for gaseous biofuels: Gasification through heating Anaerobic bacteria process
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Figure 5. Bioenergy materials from the forest can be processed into various solid, gaseous, or liquid biofuels.
Figure 6. The classification of solid and gaseous biomass for burning or further processing.
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Liquid biofuels are advanced products and can be obtained by various means, such as further refinement, using the following techniques: Wood gasification Alcohol Fermentation Anaerobic degradation Liquefaction (Pyrolysis Oil)
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Green Chemistry
Through the chemical processing of syngas or producer gas, a variety of commodities (feedstocks) and different kinds of products can be produced. The main expectation is related to vehicle fuel as a substitute for fossil fuels. When forest biomass is the main feedstock it does not compete with crops that are suitable for food production. By developing green chemistry, the dependence on fossil oil products can be reduced. Local bioenergy resources can be better utilized, which can increase employment and self-sufficiency in the region.
Bio-refinery
As fossil fuels prices have increased, the interest in the enhanced processing of renewable resources such as biomass has increased as well. The tars in the wood gas (product gas) are one of the biggest problems for most companies, because purifying the gas of these tars is complicated and difficult. However, tar-free reactors for tar cracking and product gas cleaning are currently under development.
Figure 8. Future processing plants for synthetic fuels may use both biosyngas and biogas commodities.
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Small gasification plants that utilize biomass and which are connected to the local CHP plants are mainly suitable for the production of electricity and heat. Especially if there is access to one of the future gasification reactors that can use damp or dry wood chips, and also can produce a product gas without tar particles. For CHP units with biomass gasification that require drying of wood chips and efficient cleaning of tars, the unit must be large enough to be profitable for the production of biosyngas.
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Figure 9. Local energy contractors and energy entrepreneurs collaborate with energy co-operatives to create the conditions to manage the local biomass processing and heating or combined heat and power production. In Finland there are many good examples of energy co-operatives, energy entrepreneurs, machinery contractors, and small businesses who harvest and process biomass locally.
. Figure 10. Through the coordination or integration of gasification and combustion in a local heating plant, the emissions of flue gas particles from the unit can be reduced.
15 In many municipalities in Finland, energy cooperatives have taken responsibility for the production of the heat in the pipes, serving the local district heating network.
Figure 11. With proper purification and cooling, the product gas can be used as fuel gas in a piston or turbine engine in a CHP unit.
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Figure 12. Future outsourced CHP units in some areas will benefit from a coordinated commodity pool, which can consist of raw materials for biogas and forest biomass for gasification of product gas (wood gas).
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Figure 13. Examples of pathways for processing biomass raw materials into electricity and heat through direct combustion and conversion by heat.
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Picture 14. Synergies can be achieved by combining the solar panels with a heating plant for local district heating. Especially during the summer months when the heating need is low, solar panels can often be responsible for part of the heat production.
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Figure 15. Heat is transferred from the drill holes in the rock to the water in the pipes that lead to the heat pump. The heat pump raises the temperature and transmits the heat to a heat exchanger, which then heats the water in a local district heating system or the boiler house.
For further processing into gaseous or liquid fuel feedstocks, the following rough classification can be used. The classification is based on the target and processing concerns. o Gaseous fuel, For direct combustion of the product gas: biosyngas (heating alt. heating and power) As fuel for gas engine or micro turbine (CHP, heat and power) For conversion into bio-SNG, (synthetic natural gas)
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Figure 16. An overview of the gasification process and further processing of vehicle fuels.
o Liquid fuel, Using Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to produce gasoline or diesel Through methanol synthesis processing to produce diesel or gasoline additives In a mixed alcohol synthesis, produces ethanol or butanol
o Special fuel products, For example, the separation of hydrogen (H) from biosyngas (hydrogen H2)
How a catalyst is prepared and the active parts involved in it are critical to its function. As a rule, it should have a maximum surface area of the active parts in right proportion. The catalyst's active design is dependent on the desired result. Furthermore, both the temperature and gas pressure must be kept within certain limits in order to get a certain type of end product.
Figure 17. A comprehensive and simplified overview of the three catalytic pathways and the optional fermentation process for the biosyngas used in biofuel products.
22 concentration and refinery plant, the synthetic fuel feedstock can be processed and the final fuel produced.
References
Craig K., Mann M., Cost and Performance Analysis of Three Integrated Biomass Combined Cycle Power Systems, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 2002. Datar Rohit P., Shenkman Rustin M., Fermentation of Biomass-Generated Producer Gas to Ethanol, Biotechnology and bioengineering 86, 587-594, 2004. Evans R.J., Milne T.A., Chemistry of Tar Formation and Maturation in the Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass. Developments in Thermochemical Biomass Conversion, Vol. 2, 1997. Gran U-P., Small-scale processing of bioenergy, Scribd.com 2013. Gran U-P., Utlokaliserad energiproduktion, Frgasning av biomassa, Scribd.com 2010. Gran U-P., CHP - Grn Kemi - Bioenergi frn skogen, Scribd.com 2010 Gran U-P., Nyttja bioenergin frn skogen, Scribd.com 2008. H.A.M. Knoef, Handbook on Biomass Gasification, BTG biomass technology group B.V. Enschede, The Netherlands, 2005 Johansson T. B., Kelly H. , Reddy A. K. N., Williams R. H.. Renewable Energy, Sources for fuels and electricity. ISBN 1-55963-139-2 Lampinen Ari, Uusiutuva liikenne-energian tiekartta, Pohjois-Karjalan ammattikorkeakoulun julkaisuja B:17, Joensuu, Finland 2009, 439p Uil H., Mozafarrian, M., et. al, New and Advanced Processes for Biomass Gasification. Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), (2000) USDOE, Fuel Cell Handbook, 5th edition, 2000.